Long range, 30-06 or .308

So I want to get a sniper type hunting bolt action rifle, I've been looking at the Remington 700. The question now is what caliber is better. I heard that 30-06 was used by military sniper for years and it can be used on most big game. I've also heard that the .308 has less powder but better accuracy, and that it replaced the 30-06. So I would like to hear what you guys think.

I have/shoot both calibers.
Ballistically,there's little difference between the 308 and 30/06. You can get a little higher velocity with the 06 because of case capacity,but both calibers are well proven in the field.
It is apples to oranges when comparing either.Recoil is probably the biggest difference,the 30/06 has more felt recoil.

If you want to step it up go 300 Win Mag,and for even more,the 300 Ultra Mag,but you will also have the inherent recoil that comes with them.

the reason that 308 has taken over on 30-06 in hunting is because 30-06 is a long action cartridge the 308 is a short action cartridge.

in terms of reloading he 30-06 wins due to the larger case capacity. makes it easier to get the most out of bullets in the 180+ range. if your going after elk or mule deer at longer ranges 30-06 is slightly better. for typical white tail there is no advantage to the 30-06.

If you don't need a particular level of terminal performance, the 6mms (i.e. .243) will beat them both. You can shoot higher-BC bullets at higher velocities and with less wind drift. What's not to like?

i have a remington 700 Police sniper rifle in .308. so that's what i'd say go with. my first rifle was a remington 700 .30-06, i liked it, but i'd rather have a .308. less recoil is always a good thing.

like the other guy said, they're pretty close in performance. they're both 7.62 bullets, one just has a 51mm case and the other has a 63mm case and thus more powder, higher velocity and little bit more range.

Now, I personally have a .308 and it's way high on my list for a general-purpose rifle that can do *almost* anything. However, again, if all you want to do is tag targets at long ranges (as in several hundred yards), the .243 is probably your best bet among the common choices.

Well I think it will mostly used o n targets, but I think I will eventually go hunting at some point. I think if I do end up hunting I won't be shooting a deer, the whole bambi thing. So it will probably be elk or some kind of predator. The only other thing it would be used for is a SHTF scenario, or zombie apocalypse, lol.

So I want to get a sniper type hunting bolt action rifle, I've been looking at the Remington 700. The question now is what caliber is better. I heard that 30-06 was used by military sniper for years and it can be used on most big game. I've also heard that the .308 has less powder but better accuracy, and that it replaced the 30-06. So I would like to hear what you guys think.

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whale, sniper rifles and hunting rifles are two different rifles, with two different purposes. sniper rifles are built for extreme accuracy and are usually purpose built rifles that put together out the finest components by skilled armorers. hunting rifles that most people buy are bought off the rack and fitted with a scope, shot a few times a year. sniper rifles are shot a lot. not to say that some people don't spend large amounts of money on hunting rifles, as there are gunsmiths who build high dollar rifles for discriminating hunters who ant the very best. both the 30-06 and the 308 have been used as sniper rounds and both are very close in ballistics performance. with the powder capacity of the 30-06 casing, the edge would be in reloading at the heavier bullet weights. as for your comment about as a predator round, yes both would be able to do the job, but there are better cartridges for any type of animal intent on doing harm to you.

Another thing is I don't have a lot of experience with center fire rifles, I've shot a 300 win mag. After about 3 rounds my shoulder started hurting (I broke my collar bone when I was 18) so I think that much recoil is too much for me. I also plan on getting a .223, 5.56 eventually so I don't want to get another caliber too close in size.

whale, sniper rifles and hunting rifles are two different rifles, with two different purposes. sniper rifles are built for extreme accuracy and are usually purpose built rifles that put together out the finest components by skilled armorers. hunting rifles that most people buy are bought off the rack and fitted with a scope, shot a few times a year. sniper rifles are shot a lot. not to say that some people don't spend large amounts of money on hunting rifles, as there are gunsmiths who build high dollar rifles for discriminating hunters who ant the very best. both the 30-06 and the 308 have been used as sniper rounds and both are very close in ballistics performance. with the powder capacity of the 30-06 casing, the edge would be in reloading at the heavier bullet weights. as for your comment about as a predator round, yes both would be able to do the job, but there are better cartridges for any type of animal intent on doing harm to you.

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Well I guess it would be a hunting rifle that I add moderately expensive parts to, and pretend its a sniper rifle. If that answers your question.

Another thing is I don't have a lot of experience with center fire rifles, I've shot a 300 win mag. After about 3 rounds my shoulder started hurting (I broke my collar bone when I was 18) so I think that much recoil is too much for me. I also plan on getting a .223, 5.56 eventually so I don't want to get another caliber too close in size.

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i would suggest something in the 308 caliber or less then or a very good recoil pad! i have broken my collar bone twice, and still shoot large caliber rifles. how the rifle is put together will make a lot of difference in felt recoil. heavy barrels and stocks, muzzle brakes and good recoil pads can take a lot of the kick out of heavy magnums, but will not be cheap.

Well I guess it would be a hunting rifle that I add moderately expensive parts to, and pretend its a sniper rifle. If that answers your question.

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whale you can add anything you want to a rifle and pretend it's a sniper rifle! that don't make it a sniper rifle. at the moment, i am building a long range target rifle in 6.5mm-06, i will have about $3000 in the rifle and about another $1500 in the scope. yes i could hunt with it, but its main purpose will be shooting very small groups in paper at very long distances (500+ yards). i started with a brand new bare remington M700 receiver, a heavy recoil lug, it will have a 26" heavy fluted barrel with a muzzle brake and lots of custom work done to the action. long range accuracy isn't cheap!

Heh yeah I honestly have a blast just ringing the 6" gong at 200 yards with my .308 rifle! The important part to me is the challenge, and doing that on 3x power with a $30 scope is a challenge to me for sure .

whale you can add anything you want to a rifle and pretend it's a sniper rifle! that don't make it a sniper rifle. at the moment, i am building a long range target rifle in 6.5mm-06, i will have about $3000 in the rifle and about another $1500 in the scope. yes i could hunt with it, but its main purpose will be shooting very small groups in paper at very long distances (500+ yards). i started with a brand new bare remington M700 receiver, a heavy recoil lug, it will have a 26" heavy fluted barrel with a muzzle brake and lots of custom work done to the action. long range accuracy isn't cheap!

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Have to totally agree with you on this there are major differences the last system I built cost me right at 5400$. With this said the accuracy level would only take place past 600 yards or better (in a perfect world) I hunt with a regular Remington .308 and there's not much I can't hit with it with a leaupold scope. Now said when it comes to precision shooting for comp or just with fun with buddy's on the range I shoot ureli or Schmidt bender scopes on remit to 700 actions on tac mod sniper chassis, to custom bored barrels and and actions. A simple 308 with a decent scope will give you an easy kill with most all game up to 4 or 500 yards. But if you taking shots like that I'd liketo come hunt with you I live in the sticks were your best bet is a old school 30-30 or marlin 35 and a 300 savage lol

i think the younger generation is watching too much tv. they don't understand true long range shooting and what it takes to achieve that goal. not just the rifle and ballistics, but the amount of trigger time, the reloading for accuracy and the years it sometimes takes to be able to hit small targets at extreme long ranges. a person also has to define whether they are shooting targets or game at long ranges, as they are different. my idea of hunting long range is 400 yards or less. a miss at long range on a target is just a miss. a miss on an animal, could wound it, making that person an unethical hunter IMO.

i think the younger generation is watching too much tv. they don't understand true long range shooting and what it takes to achieve that goal. not just the rifle and ballistics, but the amount of trigger time, the reloading for accuracy and the years it sometimes takes to be able to hit small targets at extreme long ranges. a person also has to define whether they are shooting targets or game at long ranges, as they are different. my idea of hunting long range is 400 yards or less. a miss at long range on a target is just a miss. a miss on an animal, could wound it, making that person an unethical hunter IMO.

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You can't really argue that I'm quite young myself and I completely understand what your talking about when what it takes to achieve great long range shots. I have worked off shore my whole life and have grew up with guns military and non and have personally built and bought multiple rifles that are for precision shooting although I haunt yet got into reloading I do plan on it and am currently trying to see how to get into competition shooting. I no way am I trying to argue your point about a younger generation but I would like to state that there are a few of us out there that are dedicated to precision shooting and excel at it.

You can't really argue that I'm quite young myself and I completely understand what your talking about when what it takes to achieve great long range shots. I have worked off shore my whole life and have grew up with guns military and non and have personally built and bought multiple rifles that are for precision shooting although I haunt yet got into reloading I do plan on it and am currently trying to see how to get into competition shooting. I no way am I trying to argue your point about a younger generation but I would like to state that there are a few of us out there that are dedicated to precision shooting and excel at it.

- mace

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i was speaking of the majority, you are a minority! i have been shooting for over forty years, since i was very young. my dad use to reload and do a lot of target shooting when i was young, so i grew up with it from a young age. i use to go squirrel and coon hunting with my uncles. my grand father didn't do much hunting, but enjoyed target shooting with 22's. only in the last fifthteen years have i gotten into more precision target shooting. i would rather shoot targets than game most anyday, but still keep a few rifles for hunting if the occasion arises that i am to go. i enjoy working up new loads in the quest for the most possible accuracy in any rifle i own. i am glad you are in the minority, i wish it were the reverse. too much tv and video games have ruined the younger generation. their heads are like sponges, they tend to believe what they see on tv and the movies as reality. get out and experiance life for real instead of taking what is on tv for the truth, because it ain't so.

Yea I preach that alot I was brought up by old timers and that's were my sponge head comes into play cause there not gona be there for ever so I try to soak all and any information they tend to tell lol. Specially when it comes to weapons even though I know I've got some bad info from a couple but it's still good to listen. Personally I think the whole video game age is a croc or crap when I was a kid I got locked out the house if I went in and out more than twice. I'm a very vivid out doorsman but take pride I can pull a rifle out of my safe and be consistent at 600 plus yards at the range and just like you I think people need to get out more and see what it's really like and take more enthusiasm to the outdoors and what it had to offer